Awakening (political party)

Awakening for Latvia (Latvian: Atmoda Latvijai) is a conservative[2] political party in Latvia. It was founded as For Latvia from the Heart (Latvian: No sirds Latvijai) in May 2014 by former State Auditor Inguna Sudraba.

Awakening for Latvia
Atmoda Latvijai
LeaderAndrejs Požarnovs
Mareks Raups
Founded5 May 2014; 10 years ago (2014-05-05) (No sirds Latvijai)
5 February 2019; 5 years ago (2019-02-05) (Atmoda)
Preceded bySKG Alliance (2019)
HeadquartersRiga, Kr. Valdemāra iela 38, LV-1010
Membership (2014)1,000[1]
IdeologyConservatism[2]
Social conservatism[2]
Right-wing populism[3]
Euroscepticism
Political positionRight-wing[3]
National affiliationAtmoda
European affiliationEuropean Christian Political Movement
Affiliate parties
Colours  Red
  Maroon
Saeima
0 / 100
European Parliament
0 / 8
Website
nosirdslatvijai.lv

History

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The party was established on 5 May 2014 by Inguna Sudraba,[4] a former State Auditor.[5][6]

Although Sudraba had a clean image amongst the Latvian public, the 2014 election campaign saw her being filmed having lunch with an oligarch.[5] In addition, she has refused to fully answer questions about the party's funding.[5] The party campaigned on a general platform of fair wages and pensions, as well as increasing the accountability of government.[7] In the parliamentary elections in October 2014 the party passed the electoral threshold, ensuring representation in the Saeima.

In January 2018, the party faction was removed from Saeima lists due to not having the minimal amount of MPs needed for a parliamentary group, following member Ringolds Balodis’ withdrawal from For Latvia from the Heart.[8] Later, on March 13, the party joined the SKG Alliance.

In February 2019 the party renamed itself Awakening (Latvian: Atmoda),[9] and in November of the same year it merged with Honor to Serve Our Latvia [lv] to form Awakening for Latvia.[10] The new party is now the leader of the reformed SKG Alliance, now renamed Awakening, together with the Christian Democratic Union.

Sudraba left the board of the alliance (and, apparently, the party) in March 2020. She was replaced by former Baldone Municipality Chair Andrejs Požarnovs and Christian Democratic Union board chairman Mareks Raups.[11]

The Awakening alliance has not participated in any elections since 2019.

Election results

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Saeima

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Election Leader Votes % Seats /– Status
2014 Inguna Sudraba 62,521 6.90 (#6)
7 / 100
New Opposition
2018 7,114 0.85 (#11)
0 / 100
  7 Extra-parliamentary

Symbols and logos

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References

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  1. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20140714183419/http://www.nosirdslatvijai.lv/jaunumi/inguna-sudraba-esam-1000 INGUNA SUDRABA: ESAM 1000!
  2. ^ a b c Nordsieck, Wolfram (2018). "Latvia". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  3. ^ a b Bernd Henningsen, Tobias Etzold, Krister Hanne (2017) The Baltic Sea Region: A Comprehensive Guide: History, Politics, Culture and Economy of a European Role Model, BWV Verlag, p341
  4. ^ Sudraba's For Latvia from the Heart becomes political party The Baltic Course, 6 May 2014
  5. ^ a b c Guide to 2014 Saeima elections: The Parties (Part 3) Public Broadcasting of Latvia, 25 September 2014
  6. ^ "13th Saeima elections: The parties (Part 2)". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  7. ^ Kaža, Juris (2 October 2014). "Latvians Likely to Vote to Maintain Status Quo in Elections". The Wall Street Journal.
  8. ^ "'For Latvia From The Heart' party faction disappears from Saeima lists". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  9. ^ ""No sirds Latvijai" pārtop par Atmodas partiju un aicina trīs partijas apvienot spēkus". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  10. ^ LURSOFT (2022-05-31). "Atmoda Latvijai, 40008293091 - company data". Lursoft. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  11. ^ "Sudraba atstāj partiju apvienības "Atmoda" valdi" [Sudraba leaves the board of the 'Atmoda' Alliance]. Lsm.lv (in Latvian). 2020-03-17. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
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